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UPPER 

SILESIA 



IN ITS ECONOMIC 

RELATION TO POLAND 

AND GERMANY 




PUBLISHED BY THE 

American-Polish 
Chamber of Commerce and Industry 

-, 40 West Fortieth Street, New York 



FOREWORD 

In the preparation of this statement concerning the economic relations of 
Upper Silesia with Poland and with Germany, a particular effort has been 
made to present the material in a statistical form. 

Figures are given covering the output of coal, iron and zinc in Upper 
Silesia and the consumption of Upper Silesian products in Poland and 
Germany. Similarly, figures are given concerning the consumption of im- 
ported foodstuffs, raw materials and manufactured goods in Upper Silesia. 

In compiling these figures every effort has been made to employ only 
reliable statistics, compiled either by various government officials or by 
the research departments of technical and industrial establishments. Among 
the sources used are the following: 

German Government Report of Merchandise Shipments on Railways. 

Report of Upper Silesian Coal Shipments. 

Report of the Mining Industry of Austria. 

Statistical Year Book of Congress Poland. 

Report of the Western Russian Mining Districts. 

Mining and Metallurgical Review. 

Quarterly Statistics of the German Empire. 

Report on the Upper Silesian Mining and Metallurgical Industry. 

Mining and Metallurgical Industry in Congress Poland. 

Handbook of Upper Silesian Industry. 

Year Book of the Breslau Mining District. 

Commercial Balance of Former German Poland (A. Rose). 

Throughout the body of this report notations are made indicating which 
of these sources were used for the particular statistics presented. 

This statement is based entirely upon economical considerations, political 
reasons for the union of Upper Silesia and Poland not being resorted to. 
Germany bases her whole case on the economic necessity of retaining control 
over Upper Silesia. 

—THE EDITORS. 



LIBRARY OF CONiJRESS 

MAR18T921 




Upper Silesia in its Economic Relation 
to Poland and Germany 

It is frequently stated in certain economic circles that the economic rela- 
tions of Germany and Upper Silesia are so closely interwoven that separation 
would bring- about the economic ruin of Upper Silesia and would influence 
unfavorably Germany's ability to pay the Allied Powers the reparations 
which have been demanded under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. 
Among- others, Mr. J. M. Keynes, in his book, "The Economic Consequences 
of the Peace," has taken this view. /According to popular opinion, based on 
misinformation, Upper Silesia is connected with Poland only in a very loose 
way and means to Poland only an additional source of wealth, and is not 
essential to the economic existence of Poland. 

This opinion is based on the lack of even such elementary information 
as the territorial extent of present-day Poland. For instance, Mr. Keynes 
states in his book (page 79) that Poland in the year 1913 consumed 10,500,000 
tons of coal, of which 6,800.000 tons were supplied by coal fields located in the 
territory definitely assigned to Poland, whereas Upper Silesia supplied, accord- 
ing to the same authority, only 1,500,000 tons. We have found it impossible to 
ascertain from what sources the figure of 10,5000,000 tons was taken. It is less 
than half of the real consumption of Poland in that year. The figure of 6,800,000 
tons, given by Mr. Keynes, represents the production of the Dombrbwa 
Basin, the Krakow Basin not being taken into consideration. The figure 
of 1,500.000 tons represents the imports during that year of Upper Silesian 
coal to the former Congress Poland only. The importation of coal from 
Upper Silesia to all the territories which have now been united into the 
Polish state was five times as great as the figure thus given. 

If we study more closely the Upper Silesian industry and its relation to 
Germany and to Poland, we find, on the contrary, that for Germany Upper 
Silesia would mean only a source of greater wealth, whereas for Poland it 
is a fundamental basis of economic existence. Germany without Upper Si- 
lesian coal will be not onl}^ able to cover her entire demands, but will have 
considerable coal for exportation, whereas Poland cannot exist without the 
Upper Silesian coal. The Upper Silesian iron industry does not play any 
great role in the total balance of Germany ; its significance for Germany 
has been decreasing from year to year. The natural markets for this industry 
were the Polish provinces, from the largest of which Upper Silesia was cut 
off by customs boundaries ^ which hampered the development of the Upper 
Silesian iron industry. 

On the other hand, territories .belonging to the present Polish state are 

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._.. ^ 



for Upper Silesia sources of raw materials (such as iron ore and wood) and 
of food which Germany is not able to supply to Upper Silesia. 

The above statements may be proved by figures relating to the most 
important branches of Upper Silesian industry, and by showing the relations 
of this industry to Poland on one hand and' Germany on the other. First in 
importance is coal. 

Coal 

The territories included in Poland as at present constituted consumed 
19,445,000 tons of coal in 1913. Though no inconsiderable amount of this 
coal was obtained from Polish mines, the greater portion was imported from 
outside the present boundaries of Poland. Of the total consumption, 10,- 
488,000 tons were impoj^ted and 8,957,000 tons produced within the country. 

Of the coal produced in mines belonging now to Poland, Dombrowa coal 
was consumed almost exclusively in Congress Poland and the coal from 
the Cracow Basin in Galicia. The Ostrau-Karwin imported coke was used 

Consumption of Coal in Poland — I* 



I— PIT COAL 
Former Congress Poland Tons Tons. 

Pit coal 7,438,000 

Coke 603,000 tons, equivalent to 861,000* 

8,299,000 



Galicia 

Pit coal 4,163,000 

Coke 62,900 tons, equivalent to coal 90,000 



Poznania 

Pit coal 2,518,000 

Coke 55,900 tons equivalent to coal 80,000 

Polish West Prussia and Danzig 

Pit coal 1,480,000 

Coke 40,000 tons, equivalent to coal 57,000 

Polish Teschen 

Pit coal 851,000 

Coke 8,000 tons, equivalent to coal 11,000 



4,253,000 



2,598,000 



1,537,000 



862,000 



Former Russian Poland East of Congress Poland 

Pit coal 1,620.000 

Coke 6,000 tons, equivalent to coal 9,000 

1,629,000 

Total 19,178,000 

Total— Pit coal 18.070,000 

Coke 776,000 tons, equivalent to coal 1,108,000 

19,178,000 



* Throughout this statement coke has been converted into coal at the ratio 
of 10 tons of coal to 7 tons of coke; and brown coal brickets into brown coal by- 
multiplying by three, because the caloric value of one ton of brickets eorre- 
sponds on the average to three tons of brown coal. (These ratios were fixed by 
the International Coal Cominissions.) 



*Geniian Government Report of Merchandise Shipments on German Railways. 

Report of Upper Silesia Coal Shipments. 

Report of Mining Industry in Austria. 

Statistical Year Book of Congress Poland. 

Report of the Western Russian Mining District. 

Mining and Metallurgical Review. 



Consumption of Coal in Poland — II 



11— BROWN COAL 

Congress Poland Tons Tons 

Brown Coal ^^5'?22 

Brown coal brickets 400 tons, equivalent to brown coal. . 1,200 

156,000 

Galicia 

Brown coal ^7,000 

Poznania 

Brown coal • .^S'^SJ 

Brown coal brickets 161,200 tons, equiv. to brown coal. 48J,600 ^,^„^^ 

514,000 

Polish West Prussia and Danzig 

Brown coal brickets 61,200 tons, equiv. to brown coal.. l^f'SSS 

Xotal 891,000 

Total— Brown coal 223,000 ==i 

Brown coal brickets 222,800 tons, equiv. to 

brown coal 668,000 

Total 891,000 

Grand Total— Pit coal 19,178,000 

Brown coal 891,000 tons, equivalent 

-P'— _!!^~ 1„45,000 



mostly in Congress Poland, whereas the coal from Ostrau-Karwin was con- 
sumed mostly in Galicia. 



Consumption of Upper Silesian Coal in Poland 

A study of the distribution of Upper Silesian coal and coke among the 
different Polish provinces in 1913 shows that every region in Poland was 
partly dependent upon coal from Upper Silesia, the three districts consum- 
ing the greatest quantities being Posnania, 2,464,125 tons; Galicia, 1,962,000 
tons and Congress Poland, 1,524,943 tons. (See table, page 6.) 

It must be mentioned that the data regarding the importation from Upper 
Silesia to Congress Poland, Galicia, Posnania and Polish West Prussia have 
been co-ordinated with the figures of German experts. With regard to 
importation of Upper Silesian coal to Danzig, Polish Teschen and former 
Russian Poland, east of Congress Poland, the figures have been calculated 
on the only basis that is just, viz.: on the basis of the German railway sta- 
tistics showing how many tons of coal, coke and brickets were shipped from 
Upper Silesia to each separate station of destination (according to "Ueber- 
sicht uber den Oberschlesischen Steinkohlen Versand, getrennt nach Stein- 
kohle, Briketts und Koks nach den Eizelnen Stationen des In-und Auslandes," 
1913). On the German side objections have been made against adoptmg 
this method for the Polish Teschen, on the ground that some of the coal 
sent to stations in Polish Teschen was reshipped from those stations to other 
destinations. The German experts are not able, however, to confirm this 
argument by any concrete evidence. Even if we admit that a part of the 
Upper Silesian coal shipped to Polish Teschen was really reshipped outside 

5 , 



Consumption of Upper Silesian Coal in Poland 



The distribution of Upper Silesian coal and coke among the different Polish 
provinces in 1913 is given by the following table: 

Congress Poland Tons Tons 

Coal 1,203,55S 

Coke 224,972 tons, equivalent to coal 321,388 

1,524,943 

Galicia 

Coal 1,860,515 

Coke 57,602 tons, equivalent to coal 82,288 

1,962,803 

Poznania 

Coal 2,416,121 

Coke 33,603 tons, equivalent to coal 48,004 

2,464,125 

Polish Western Prussia 

Coal 748,134 

Coke 12,924 tons, equivalent to coal 18,463 

766,597 

Danzig 

Coal 415,000 

Coke 7,000 tons, equivalent to coal 10,000 

425,000 

Polish Teschen 

Coal 611,035 

Coke 1,857 tons, equivalent to coal 2,653 

613,688 

Former Russian Poland East of Congress Poland 

Coal 95,385 

Coke 700 tons, .equivalent to coal 1,000 

96,385 

Total 7,853,541 

Total— Coal 7,369,745 

Total— Coke (338,658 tons), equivalent to coal. 483,796 

7,853,541 

(Brickets on account of the very small quantity are not shown in separate 
column, but are included in the coal figures). 



present Polish boundaries, the quantity of this coal could only have been 
very small. 

If we compare the figures of Upper Silesian coal shipments to Poland 
with figures of the total consumption of coal and coke in Poland, we find 
that the consumption of Upper Silesian coal amounted in 1913 to 40.4 per 
cent, of the total consumption in Poland ; this proportion was for Congress 
Poland 18 per cent., for Galicia nearly 50 per cent, and for former German 
Poland nearly the whole pre-war consimiption, 90 per cent, being covered 
by coal and coke from Upper Silesia. 

Of the total production of Upper Silesia which amounted in 1913 to 43,- 

6 



170,000 tons, the shipments to what is now Poland were 18.2 per cent., and 
of the total railway shipments to points outside of Upper Silesia they were 
29 per cent. 

It being evident from these figures that coal from Upper Silesia is a 
fundamental item in the Polish coal supply, it is next essential that we 
study the relative importance of Upper Silesian coal for Germany. 



Origin of Coal Consumed in Poland 



I— PIT COAL 

A— Black Coal Tons Tons 

Production of Dombrow Basin '. 6,834,000 

Production of Krakow Basin 1,971,000 

Production of Mine "Silesia" in Polish Teschen.... 184,000 



Less exportation from Krakow District 23,000 

Less exportation from mine "Silesia" 75,000 



B— Coke- 
Importation from Ostrau-Karwin District 338,000 

Importation from Upper Silesia 339,000 

Importation from Germany 96.000 

Importation from Donetz 3,000 



Total home production 8,989,000 

Importation from Upper Silesia 7,370,000 

Importation from Germany 186,000 

Importation from Ostrau-Karwin Basin 463,000 

Importation from Donetz Basin 1,000,000 

Importation from other coal basins 160,000 



9,179,000 
18,168,000 

98,000 
18,070,000 



Equivalent to coal 776,000 1,108,000 



Total 19,178,000 

II— BROWN COAL 
A — Brown Coal 

Production in Congress Poland 155,000 

Production in Galicia 37,400 

Production in Poznania . 25,000 

Total Home Production 217,400 

Importation from Germany 5,600 



223,000 



B — Brown Coal Brickets 

Importation from Germanj- 222,800 tons, equivalent 

to brown coal 668,000 



891,000 



Grand Total pit coal 19,178,000 

Brown coal 891,000 tons, equivalent to pit coal 267,000 

19,445,000 



Total Consumption in Germany'^' 

The total production of pit coal in Germany, including Upper Silesia, 
Alsace-Lorraine and the Saar Basin, amounted in 1913 to 190,109,440 tons. 

Importation of coal to Germany was as follows : 

Tons 

1-Pit coal 10,540,069 

2— Pit coal brickets 27,272 

3— Coke 594,501, equivalent to coal 849,287 

Total imports 11,416,628 

Total imports and production 201,526,068 

Exportation of coal from Germany was as follows : 

Tons 

1— Pit coal 34,598,408 

2— Pit coal brickets 2,302,602 

3— Coke 6,432,986, equivalent to coal 9,189,980 

Total exports 46,090,990 

The total consumption in 1913 of pit coal and coke in Germany within her 
frontiers of 1913 \vas, therefore, 155,435,078 tons. 

In order to obtain the consumption of pit coal and coke in 1913 in Germany 
within her present boundaries we must, from the above figures of 155,435.078 
tons, deduct the consumption in 1913 of those territories which, according 
to the Peace Treaty, have been cut off from Germany 

The consumption of pit coal in these territories amounted to : 

Tons 

Alsace-Lorraine 11,131,000 

Saar Basin 5,800,000 

Schleswig-Holstein — Eupen Malmedv 600.000 

Posnania '. 2,598.000 

Polish West Prussia and Danzig 1,537,000 

Luxemburg . . .' 3,860.000 

Total 25,226,000 

To this must be added part of the pre-war consumption of coal by the 
Germany navy and merchant marine and by the munitions industry, which 
consumption is now reduced at least by 3,000,000 tons, and (if Upper Silesia 
is united with Poland) the consumption of pit coal in Upper Silesia, which 
amounted in 1913 to 14.012,000 tons, making a total of 42,538,000 tons. 

From the above it follow^s that the pre-w^ar consumption of pit coal and 
coke in Germany within her present boundaries and excluding Upper Silesia 
amounted to 155,435,078 tons, less 42,538,000 tons, or a total of 112,897,078 
tons. 

The consumption of brown coal in Germany in 1913 is shown by the fol- 
lowing figures : Tons Tons 

German production 87,233,084 

Importation to Germany : 

1— Brown coal , 6,987,064 

2 — Brown coal brickets, 120,965, equiv. to. . . . 362,895 



7,349,959 
94,583,043 
Less Export from Germany : Tons 

1 — Brown coal 60,345 

2 — Brown coal brickets 861,135, equiv. to brown coal. . . . 2.583.405 

2,643,750 
The consumption of browai coal in 1913 in Germany within its former 
boundaries amounted therefore to 91,939,293 tons. 

For consumption of brown coal within territories cut off from Germany 



*QTiarterly Statistics of the German Empire. 

8 



1.300,000 is deducted. The consumption of brown coal in 1913 in Germany 
within her present boundaries is thus 90,639,293 tons, which is equal to 27,191,788 
tons of pit coal. The total consumption of coal in 1913 in Germany within 
her present boundaries amounted therefore to: Tons 

Pit coal 1 12,897,078 

Brown coal, equiv, to pit coal 27,191,788 

Total ' 140,08^,866 

According to the Versailles Treaty Germany has lost her coal basins in 
Alsace-Lorraine and in the Saar Basin, which produced in 1913 : Alsace-Lor- 
raine, 3,817,000 tons; Saar Basin, 12,223,000 tons, or a total of 16,040,000 tons. 
If Germany loses Upper Silesia, this figure will be increased by the produc- 
tion of Upper Silesia, 43,170,000 tons, or a total loss of 59,210,000 tons. 

If Ave deduct from the total production of pit coal in Germany, which 
as we have shown above amounted in 1913 to 190,109,440 tons, the production 
of coal basins which Germany has lost already and of Upper Silesia, 59,210,000 
tons, there remains 130,899.440 tons as the pre-war production of pit coal in 
basins which will belong to Germany as at present constituted. 

Present Supplies of Coal Available for Germany 

According to the data at hand the present production of pit coal in Ger- 
many amounts to 78 per cent, of the pre-war production ; the present produc- 
tion of pit coal basins belonging to present-day Germany would therefore 
amount to 102,100,000 tons. With regard to brown coal, its production in 
Germany from the beginning of the war not only did not decrease, but on 
the contrary, it even increased considerablv and amounts now yearly to about 
100,000,000 tons, which corresponds to 30,000,000 tons of pit coal. The total 
present production in Germany of pit coal and brown coal expressed in pit 
coal amounts thus to 132,100,000 tons. To this must be added the importation 
to Germanv of coal from Upper Silesia, amounting during the first six months 
of the year 1920 to about 1,000,000 tons monthly, or yearly, 12,000,000 tons. 
Germany, therefore, has altogether at her disposal : Tons 

Pit coal of her own production 102,100,000 

Brown coal of her own production 100,000,000, equiv. to 

pit coal 30.000,000 

Upper Silesian coal 12,000,000 

Total 144,100,000 

If from this amount we deduct deliveries of coal by Germany to the Allies 
in accordance Avith the Peace Treaty, and amounting at the present time 
according to the Spa conference to 2,000,000 tons monthly, or 24,000,000 yearly, 
there remains for the interior consumption of Germany 120,100,000 tons, or 
nearly 86 per cent, of Germany's pre-war consumption, which amounted as 
shown above to 140,086,866 tons. It must be added that consumption of 
coal in Polish territories, since the reconstruction of the Polish State, that is 
during the years 1919 and 1920, has not even during one month amounted 
to more than 50 or 55 per cent, of the pre-war consumption. Very few of 
the Western European countries working under the relatively best economic 
conditions can cover as high a proportion of their pre-war requirements as 
Germany does, 86 per cent. 

If Germany brings her production of pit coal to the pre-war level, that is 
to 130,899,000 tons, and adds thereto 100,000,000 tons of brown coal (equal to 
30,000,0000 tons pit coal), and the importation from Upper Silesia, which at 
the present rate, is amounting annually to 12,000,000 tons, the total amount 
at the disposal of Germany will be 172,899,000 tons. This is an amount which 
will allow Germany, not only to fully cover her requirements at the pre- 
war rate (140,088.866 tons) and fulfill her obligations to the Allied Powers, but 
will even allow her to export a considerable amount of coal. 

9 



Let us make a further comparison between the consumption in 1913 of 
Upper Silesia of coal, and the total consumption of coal and coke in Germany 
within her present boundaries. 

In 1913 the consumption of Upper Silesian coal and coke in Germany (not 
counting- Upper Silesia itself), amounted to: 
Shipment by rail : Tons 

Coal .. 13,468,699 

Brickets 107,624 

Coke 194,287 tons, equivalent to coal 277,553 

Total 13,853,876 

Shipments by water 2,265,801 

Total 16,119,677 

Less shipments to territories : 

Ceded to Poland 3,230,722 

To Danzig 425,000 

Total 3,655,722 

Net total 12,463,955 

This means that the consumption of Upper Silesian coal and coke in Ger- 
many within her present boundaries amounted altogether to only 12,463,955 
tons. This makes only 8.9 per cent, of the total pre-war coal ccmsumption in 
Germany (140,088,866 tons), whereas, as we have seen above. Upper Sile- 
sian coal represented 40.4 per cent, of Poland's total pre-war consumption. 

From the above we can see plainly that the possession of Upper Silesian 
mines is not necessary to enable Germany to meet her coal requirements. Ger- 
many, despite the loss of the Saar Basin and Alsace Lorraine, will not only 
be able even without Upper Silesia to cover fully her interior requirements, 
but will also have considerable quantities of coal for exportation. The state- 
ment of Germany that, if she loses Upper Silesia, she will not be able to fulfill 
her coal obligations toward the Allied Powers, is quite unfounded. Un- 
doubtedly the Upper Silesian coal means for Germany a source of wealth. 
but it is not in any sense the basis of economic existence for Germany. 

Importance of Upper Silesian Coal for Poland 

The situation for Poland is quite different. The Dombrowa and Krakow 
coal basins can cover less than half of Poland's requirements, and Poland 
is bound to cover her deficiency with Upper Silesian coal. To this must be 
added the fact that neither the Dombrowa nor the Krakow Basins produce 
coking coal. Metallurgical coke, now that the Teschen question has been 
settled to Poland's disadvantage, can be supplied to Polish iron works only 
by Upper Silesia. If the Upper Silesian coal basin remains outside the Polish 
boundaries, Poland will be always dependent on her neighbors with regard 
to fuel. Thus the possession of the Upper Silesian mines is for Poland the 
first condition of economic independence. 

Finally, it must be taken into consideration that the economic life of the 
Polish territories during the last century, because they were divided by 
customs frontiers and attached to three different foreign economic organiza- 
tions, has developed under quite abnormal conditions. The governments of 
the states which participated in the partition of Poland, in their centralistic 
tendencies, always supported the industry and commerce of the provinces 
inhabited by their own predominant nationalities to the disadvantage of 
the sections of Poland belonging to them. Hence the customs duties and 
tariffs so detrimental to the Polish industry ; hence the entire indifference of 
the former Russian and Austrian governments with regard to transportation 
facilities .in former Congress Poland and Galicia (in 1912 there were for each 

10 



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1,000 square kibmeters in former Congress Poland only 25.5 kilometers of 
railways; m Ga hem only 52.3 kilometers, whereas in Belgium there were 160 
kdometers and m Germany 113). Now that the Polish territories are united 
Polish industry, not being hindered by foreign governments, has many S 
bihties of quick development. To put her industry into operation shl need 
hovvever, coal, coal and once more coal, which can be supplied to her only 
by Upper Silesia. In other words, from whatever view one regards the coal 
question m Poland, one everywhere sees her dependency upon Upper Silesia. 

Iron Industry 

We will now take up the second most important branch of the Upper 
Silesian industry, namely the iron industry, and consider its position and 
possibilities _of_ development in case Upper Silesia is left with Germany and 
also m case it is united with Poland. -^ 

In the year 1913 there were in Upper Silesia thirtv-six blast furnaces of 
W mi r^ ^""/"' ""'"' ^" operation. These twenty-nine furnaces produced 
yy4,0Ul tons of pig iron, using as raw material the following: 

Sources of Raw Material for Iron Industry * 



Iron ore fi^m Upper Silesia 1 78 ols 

Iron ore from Posen yaln 

Iron ore frona abroad =;7r'n?i 

Iron ore from Germany '.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.." 260074 

Manganese ore (imported into Germany from abroad) 

Burnt pyrites, etc. (almost exclusively of foreign orimn 
imported to Germany) " 

Scrap iron 

Slag and Scales 

A— Upper Silesian mj. ^'^n 

B-German (including Posen) .....■.:■.::■.■.:::::: pi' g ,s 

^-^'^'^ :;:::: is^sis 



Tons 



1,094,921 
47,965 

289,914 

7,587 



584,090 
,024,477 



wlTf *''' "^"S™^-^*^ °« -^s =>" imported from abroad Uppes'^sra' 

-r\jyj,ooy Luiis, in lyiu to zoo,ozo tons and in 1QH tn 1 ^8 9nA +,^^o i l 

one-sixth of the production in 1890.** ' ^''"'' °' "^"'^ ^^^'^^ 

Thus the Upper Silesian iron industry has been forced to import most of 
the necessary ores from abroad, chiefly from Sweden and NorwaT BefX the 

^or^ong toe to co.ne. A further great'dfficult^- will be the lack of ship- 



The following table shows clearly how Upper Silesia became more and 
more dependent on imported ores : 

Relative Importance of Imported Ores * 



Total Consump- 


Upper 


Sil 


esia 


Germany 




Foreign 


tion of Iron Ore 


Per Ce 


nt. 


of 


Per Cent. 


of 


Per Cent, of 


in Upper Silesia 


Total 


Tons 


Total Tons 


Total Tons 


Tons 


Consumpt 


ion 


Consumpt 


ion 


Consumption 


1891.... 871,425 


708,654 




81.3 


33,311 


3.8 


129,460 14.9 


1895.... 902,109 


604,272 




67.0 


34,584 


3.8 


263,253 29.2 


1899.... 1,104,576 


536,074 




48.6 


41,184 


7>.l 


527,318 47.7 


1903.... 1,028,446 


420,629 




40.9 


55,041 


5.4 


552,776 7)Z.l 


1907.... 1,208,053 


292.077 




24.2 


129,603 


10.7 


786,373 65.1 


1911.... 1,120,213 


251,682 




22.5 


155,253 


13.8 


713,278 63.7 



The increase of the proportion of German ore used is particularly to be 
ascribed to Posnanian ore which is included in the German figure. The im- 
port of ore from Germany proper in 1915, as shown above, still further in- 
creased, but it must be noted that Germany had then in her possession very 
rich oi-e mines in Alsace-Lorraince which now belong to France, so that the 
supplying of Upper Silesia with German ore will be more difficult. 

At the same time in Polish territories, in the near vicinity of Upper Si- 
lesia, there are very large deposits of iron ore which will be able to serve 
the Upper Silesian metallurgical industry in case Upper Silesia is united 
with Poland. Deposits of iron ore exist in all territories of Poland, the richest 
being in former Congress Poland. More exact investigations which have 
been made in the western part of Congress Poland show that there are 
deposits of iron ores estimated by Professor Bogdanowicz at 300,000,000 tons 
(by other experts still higher). It is true that this ore contains not more 
than thirty to forty per cent, of iron, but it smelts easily and when mixed 
with ore with a higher percentage of iron is an excellent raw material. The 
ore industry in Congress Poland was developing before the war under spe- 
cially difficult conditions, as the export of Polish iron ore abroad was 
made impossible on account of prohibitions of export of iron ore from 
Russia by land. Notwithstanding this, the production of iron ore increased 
during the last pre-war years very considerably. 

The following table shows the increase of the iron ore production in 
former Congress Poland.** Tons 

1909 123,091 

1910 167,065 

191 1 257.374 

1912 294,114 

1913 310,623 

The increase from 1909 to 1913 was 187,532 tons, or 152 per cent. 

If one compares this increase of production of iron ore in Congress Poland 
with the decrease of iron ore production in Upper Silesia, one sees at once 
that Poland is the logical source of supply for Upper Silesia. 

As mentioned before, the production of pig iron in Upper Silesia amounted 
in 1913 to 994,601 tons. This production had been increasing during the last 
pre-war years very slowly. It amounted to :*** Tons 

1909 849.776 

1910 901,366 

1911 • 963,382 

1912 • 1.048,356 

1913 994,601 

*Handt)ook of Upper Silesian Industry. 

**Mining' and Metallurgical Industry in Cong'ress Poland. 

***Handbook of Upper Silesian Industry. 

Report of the Upper Silesian Mining and Metallurg'ical Industry. 

Vear Book of the Breslau Mining- District. 

12 



From 1909 to 1913 the production therefore increased by only 144,825 tons, 
or 17 per cent. ; from 1912 to 1913 the production even decreased by 53,755 
tons, or 5.1 per cent. At the same time the total German production of pig 
iron increased from 12,917,653 tons in 1909 to 17,852,571 in 1912, and to 
19,276,000 in 1913; that is from 1909 to 1913, or during a period in which 
the Upper Silesian pig iron production increased altogether only by 17 per 
cent., the total German production had increased by 6,358,000 tons, or by 50 
per cent., and that from 1912 to 1913, Germany as a total shows an increase 
of 1,423,000 tons, or 7.97 per cent., whereas Upper Silesia shows a decrease of 
5.1 per cent. On account of this the ratio of pig iron production in Upper 
Silesia to the total pig iron production in Germany, which has always been 
expressed by a very inconsiderable figure, has undergone during recent years 
a still further reduction. In 1871 the pig iron produced in Upper Silesia 
was 14.8 per cent, of the total pig iron production in Germany : 

In 1891, 10.3 per cent.; 1901, 8.1 per cent.; 1910, 6.1 per cent.; 1911, 6.21 
per cent.; 1912, 5.92 per cent.; 1913, 5.16 per cent. 

If we consider now the data regarding the sale of pig iron and iron 
products, we shall find how small was the role of the Upper Silesian iron 
industry in supplying Germany's requirements, and how, on the other hand, 
the development of this industry depends upon its relations with other Polish 
territories. 

In the following table is shown the production of pig iron in Upper Silesia 
and the shipments to points outside of Upper Silesia. 

Iron Shipments from Upper Silesia * 



















Shi 


pments to 






Rai 


way Sliip- 






Sh 


pments 


Po 


ish Terri- 






ments to Points 


Per Cent. 


Points Out- 


lories Belong- | 


Production of 


Out 


side of Upper 


of 


Produc ■ 


sic 


e of 


ing 


Formerly 


Pij 


J Iron 


Silesia 


tion. 


Ge 


rmany 


to 


Russia 




Tons 




Tons 








Tons 




Tons 


1884 


. . . 410,330 




50,750 




12.4 




48,037 




43,591 


1886 


. . . 372,875 




72,391 




19.4 




63,663 




62,534 


1887 


... 395,611 




37,114 




9.4 




28,859 




28,215 


1891 


. . . 479,806 




10,897 




2.3 




1,430 




906 


1901 


. . . 641,726 




29,365 




4.6 




10,060 




537 


1911 


. . . 963,382 




64,434 




6.7 




14,130 




6,588 


1912 


... 1,048,356 




82,794 




7.9 




38,598 




6,268 


1913 


. . . 994,601 




51,118 




5.1 




17,105 




4,903 



From the above figures it can be seen that in 1886 about 20 per cent, of 
the total production of pig iron was exported to points outside Upper Silesia, 
in 1913 only 5.1 per cent. This decrease parallels the decrease of the export 
to Polish territories belonging formerly to Russia. In 1886 the export of 
Upper Silesian pig iron to those territories amounted to more than the total 
shipments to points outside Upper Silesia in 1913. Evidently the Polish terri- 
tories are the natural market for Upper Silesian pig iron. Through artificial 
means this market was closed to her in 1887. In this year, namely, Russia 
increased the duty on pig iron from six kopeks to thirty kopeks per 100 kilo- 
grams (from marks, 1.19, to marks, 5.95 per 100 kilograms). In the year 1891 
there followed a further increase to 35 kopeks (marks, 6.94). From the mo- 
ment when the Polish market was thus closed the importance of the Upper 
Silesian pig iron became only local and consequently the production of Upper 
Silesian pig iron, in proportion to the production of the whole of Germany, 
continually declined. 

sCGerman Government Repoi-t of Merchandise Shipments on German Railways. 

13 



With regard to finished manufactures of Upper Silesian iron factories the 
situation is similar, as shown by the following table : 

Manufactured Products Exported by Upper Silesia* 



Total Railway Ship- 

ments of Iron Goods Shipments to Polish 
Including Shipments Territories Belong- 
to Points Within Shipments Outside ing Formerly to 
Upper Silesia of Germany Russia 

Tons Tons Per Cent. Tons 

1884 ... 267,697 42.976 16.1 23,219 

1895 485,563 135,913 28.0 105,251 

1900 662,286 51,586 7.8 28,498 

1911 1,271,206 80,393 6.3 6,678 

1912 1,448,986 135,865 9.4 10.262 

1913 1,396,30-3 117,241 8.4 22,587 



Here also the expansion of the Upper Silesian industry was hindered 
through the closing of the Polish markets by Russian customs duties intro- 
duced in 1881, 1882, 1887 and 1891. The decrease of the customs duties in 
the year 1894, although by a small percentage only, made it possible for the 
Upper Silesian iron industry to increase, for a certain time, the export to 
Polish territories formerly under Russian rule. 

From 1884 to 1911 the export from Upper Silesia increased from 42,976 
tons to 80,393 tons, or by 87 per cent., whereas the total export from Ger- 
many of goods of the same kind increased during this period by 410 per cent. 

For the interior German markets the Upper Silesian iron industry 
has only a very small significance. This industry has been able to control 
the market only in Upper Silesia. The iron requirements of that part of 
Silesia outside of Upper Silesia were supplied by Upper Silesia only to the ex- 
tent of about 50 per cent, the requirements of Posen to not much over ZSYs 
per cent., and the requirements of other markets even situated near to Upper 
Silesia, such as West Prussia, Pomerania, Saxony and Brandenburg, only in 
very small degree. 

The importance of the Upper Silesian iron industry in supplying even these 
nearest markets has been constantly decreasing. 

The consumption of Upper Silesian iron as compared with the total iron 
consumption was in per cent, as follows : 

Drop in Consumption of Upper Silesian Iron Products** 





Silesia 




West & East 








(Excl 


. Upper Silesia) 


Posnania 


Prussia 


Berlin 


Brandenburg 


Saxony 


1884. 


63.7 


44.7 


20.8 


19.7 


15.6 


16.6 


1911. 


55.2 


35.7 


17.8 


14.5 


12.8 


12.2 





It must be added that in the above table not the total consumption of iron 
Avas taken into consideration, but only that of the iron products which were 
manufactured in Upper Silesia and transported by railway. If one should 
take into consideration the total consumption of iron in the above mentioned 
territories, one would, in view of the fact that Upper Silesia does not produce 
various kinds of iron products at all, and that those territories to a large 
extent used iron brought from Western Germany by waterways, find the 
picture for Upper Silesia still less favorable. 

We see, therefore, that here also the figures speak for themselves. Ap- 
parently the economic conditions of Germany do not give to Upper Silesia's 
iron industry the same basis for development as to the industrial districts 
of Germany proper; on the contrary, the connection of Upper Silesia with 

♦German Government Report of Merchan'Sise Shipments on German Railways. 
**Handbook of Upper Silesian Industry. 

14 



Germany has rather hindered the development of the Upper Silesian iron 
industry. We will try to explain some of the reasons for this condition. 

First of all, in geographical situation Upper Silesia belongs rather to 
Poland than to Germany. Located between Galicia and Congress Poland, 
the Upper Silesian manufactures had to move more than 100 kilometers, be- 
fore they reached the nearest German markets. Now that Posnania and 
West Prussia have become a part of the Polish State, the situation of Upper 
Silesia, in case it should be left with Germany, would be still more unfavor- 
able. Upper Silesia has no waterway connections with Germany except by 
the River Oder, which in its upper part is very unsuitable for navigation 
(on account of strong currents in spring and low water during the summer). 
The Upper Silesian products can therefore move by the chief waterway 
only to a very small extent. On the other hand, the chief industrial district 
of Germany proper in the Rhine provinces has at its disposition the splendid 
waterway of the Rhine, so that it can transport goods to the sea, and then, 
through Hamburg, Stettin and the river basins of the Elbe and Oder, to 
Eastern Germany comparatively cheaper than can Upper Silesia. For the 
same reasons Upper Silesia, if left with Germany, will be threatened by com- 
petition from German iron foundries situated on the Baltic, and even from 
the foreign iron industry. 

The cost of producing iron in Upper Silesia is considerably higher than 
in the west of Germany, because the Upper Silesian coke is softer and is not 
as suitable for metallurgical purposes as the Westphalian coke. The blast 
furnaces in Upper Silesia must therefore be constructed of smaller dimen- 
sions than in the west of Germany. In 1910 the average production per 
furnace in Upper Sielsia was 31,100 tons of pig iron, whereas the average 
for the whole of Germany was 48,800 tons and for the Dusseldorf district 
71,360 tons. To produce 1.000 tons of pig iron there were employed on the 
average in 1910 in Upper Silesia 5.4 workmen, in Germany as a whole 3.1 
workmen and in the Dusseldorf district 2.7 workmen.* 

Also with regard to the supply of ores the Western German metallurgical 
industry is in a better situation than the Upper Silesian industry, as it pos- 
sesses its own ore mines (in the Rhineland), and has the possibility of import- 
ing iron ore by the cheap waterway. 

Thanks to the good connections with seaports by waterways, the iron 
industry of Western Germany could develop its export, which became im- 
possible for Upper Silesia from the moment Russia introduced prohibitive 
customs duties. 

Because of the above reasons there has been practically no opportunity 
for the development of the Upper Silesian iron industry within the boun- 
daries of Germany. As we have seen above, even in the nearest markets in 
Eastern Prussia the Upper Silesian industry has been forced into second 
place by the German competition. To hold these markets the Upper Silesian 
iron industry had to make heavy financial sacrifices, especially as the sale 
of the so-called by-products (rolled iron, pipes, sheet iron, etc.), has not 
been combined in Germany in one syndicate. For this reason the earnings 
of the companies engaged in the iron industry in Upper Silesia were before 
the war insignificant and many of them worked at a loss. 

The fact that the condition of the iron industry in Upper Silesia was very 
serious was confirmed by competent authorities. The above mentioned hand- 
book of the Upper Silesian industrial district mentions specifically the "very 
difficult situation of the iron industry in Upper Silesia" (page 433), and it 
must be noted that this handbook was edited by the Upper Silesian Mining 
and Metallurgical Association (the organization having the closest contact 
with the iron industry). 

To what extent the Polish territories formerly under Russian rule are a 
natural market for the Upper Silesian iron industry is shown by the fact 

^Handbook of "Upper Silesian Industry, 

15 



that after the Russian Government had created an artificial wall between 
Upper Si esia and those territories through the establishment of high cus- 
toms taxes the Upper Silesian industry broke through this wall After 
tryear 1880 a number of iron factories were created m Congress Po and 
either directly by Upper Silesian companies as their branches, or m close 
r-r.ntnrt with the Upper Silesian industry. 

Kle^p^nsLZ\he Upper Silesian iron industry to the east toward 
Polish territories proves that the leaders of the industry clearly see that the 

"^^The ^ZX^'i^tXe^ in the territories now fon.ing the Polish 
State only to a very inconsiderable extent. Blast furnaces are to be found 
onW in Congress Poland. Their number amounted in 1913 to thirteen, of 
whfch elevef were^o^^^^^^ They produced in that year 418 708 tons of 

^igton The production of^pig iron in Congress Poland since 1909 is shown 
by the following table:* ^^^ 

long ...'. 215!830 

]l% 250,827 

;^ V 346,900 

j^}3 :::::::::;. 418,708 

Thus from 1909 to 1913 the production increased by 202,878 tons, or 94 
per cent, (the corresponding figure for Upper Silesia is 17 per cent.; for all 

^'Tkr^genumbeTof blast furnaces and iron mills in Congress Poland were 
destroyed or considerably damaged during the war; but even if we should 
assume that it will be possible to reconstruct these mils ^n ^..^^.^^/^^^^ 
(which under the present conditions is not possible), and even if then pro 
duction should grow further in the same proportion as before the war even 
then the production of iron works in territories forming the present Polish 
State would be quite insufficient to cover the interior requirements. Of all 
the Polish territories now united only Congress Poland has really a large 
iron industrv. and this industry now has to supply the_ requirements of 
GaHcia and of former German Poland, which obtained their supplies before 
the war, either in Bohemia and Austria, or in Upper Silesia and Western 
Germany. Congress Poland also has to meet the demands for iron of all 
the fornier Russkn Poland, as apart from Congress Poland the Polish terri- 
tories belonging formerlv to Russia have no iron industry. 

The iron requirements of Poland will probably grow much more rapidly 
than before the war. On account of the unfavorable economic situa- 
tion in which the Polish territories were held under foreign governments, 
the consumption of iron per head of population before the war was very 

^"""it' amounted vearly, in Congress Poland to 19.4 kilograms, in Posnania 
to 96 kilograms,' in Western Prussia to 62 kilograms ; whereas the corre- 
sponding figures were for the United States, 303 kilograms; Germany, 137 
kilograms; England, 112 kilograms; France, 92 kilograms, and Belgium, 
121 kilograms. 

Iron Prices in Upper Silesia and Congress Poland 



(In German marks for one ton, one rouble being calculated as marks, 2.16) 

Congress Poland Upper Silesia 

D- • 92 72-79 

P^^ '■'°".-:-. 176 120-130 

Commercial iron /^ ^^^ 

Sheet iron 



*Mining' and Metallurgical Industry in Cong'ress Poland. 

16 



The above figures show clearly how little the Polish market is saturated 
with iron, and what a field it offers for the Upper Silesian iron industry. 

Enormous quantities of iron will be needed solely to bring the railways 
up to the Western European standard. 

An interesting light on the more favorable market which Polish territories 
could have offered to Upper Silesia before the war is obtained by a compari- 
son of iron prices in 1913 in Upper Silesia and in Congress Poland. (Page 16.) 

From the above mentioned it follows that the Upper Silesian iron indus- 
try, similarly to the coal industry, is only connected with the economic life 
of Germany proper by very loose ties ; the fact that Upper Silesia belonged to 
Germany, not only did not encourage the development, but, on the contrary, 
kept the development' down, on account of the competition of Western 
Germany — and that the natural markets for this branch of the Upper Sile- 
sian indvistry are Polish territories which will be open for Upper Silesia 
when it is united with Poland. 

Zinc Industry 

The third most important industry in Upper Silesia is the zinc industry. 
It was principally an exporting industry, always in close touch with the 
Polish markets. Upper Silesia produced zinc as follows : 

Zinc Production in Upper Silesia * 



Year Tons of Zinc 

1881 67,000 

1900 102,000 

1907 138,000 

1911 156,000 

1912 168,496 



Upper Silesia rolling mills worked approximately 30 to 40 per cent, of 
this into sheets, etc. The export by railways froni Upper Silesia to points 
outside of Germany is shown by the following table : 

Exports of Zinc from Upper Silesia** 



Railway shipments from 

Upper Silesia to points To Polish Territories Percentages of Total 

outside of Germany — Belonging Formerly Shipments to Points 

Vear Zinc and zinc goods to Russia Outside of Germany 

Tons Tons 

1887 15,270 167 1.1 

1899 19,255 3,544 18.5 

1907 30,328 5,902 19.5 

1911 38,029 11,475 30.2 

1912 36,839 8,024 22. 

1913 39,937 14,462 36.2 



Besides, certain quantities of zinc and zinc goods have been shipped from 
Upper Silesia to Galicia, namely, in 1911, 2,681 tons; in 1912, 4,156 tons; in 
1913, 4,388 tons; to Posnania and Western Prussia, about 1,000 tons yearly. This 
percentage with regard to all the Polish territories is therefore still larger. 
In the year 1913 the now united Polish territories received from Upper Si- 
lesia 50 per cent, of the total Upper Silesian railway export of zinc and 
zinc goods. 

In comparison to the world's production, the production of zinc in Upper 
Silesia has decreased during the recent years. This decrease is shown by 

♦German Government Report of Merchandise Shipm^ents on German Railways. 
**Handbook of Upper Silesian Industry. 

17 



the percentages of the world's production ; from 25.4 per cent, in the year 
1881 to 21.4 per cent in 1900, 18.7 per cent, in 1907 and 17.4 per cent in 1911. 

The principal reason for this smaller development of the Upper Silesian. 
zinc industry were: (1) the difficult sale conditions for sulphuric acid (one of 
the by-products of zinc), as the German markets were over saturated with 
sulphuric acid, and (2) high custom duties maintained by Russia for the 
Polish territories formerly under Russian rule. Upper Silesia when united 
with Poland will find there is a good market for sulphuric acid, which can 
be taken advantage of as the present production in Poland is much belo^v 
the requirements. 

No other branches of the Upper Silesian industries will be discussed in 
detail. It will only be mentioned that for nearly all' the articles of these 
industries (by-products of the coking process of coal ; artificial fertilizers — 
explosives for the mining industries, etc.), Poland offers an excellent market,, 
as there are no such industries well developed in Poland. 

In the same way as most of the industrial products of Upper Silesia have 
a natural market offered by Poland, and therefore such industry directs its- 
expansion toward Poland, so also with regard to the supply of raw material 
and foodstufifs. Upper Silesia depends on Poland. 

Raw Material and Food Imported from Poland to Upper Silesia 

Iron ores have been mentioned above. With regard to the supply of 
wood. Upper Silesia depends entirely on Polish territories. Germany is 
quite unable to deliver to Upper Silesia sufficient wood. Forests in the 
Breslau and Lignitz districts are absorbed by the requirements of the cellu- 
lose industry, and other German forests are too far from Upper Silesia 
to be considered. 

The following tables give details with regard to the origin of wood im- 
ported to Upper Silesia in the years 1911 to 1913, including the importation 
by railways to Upper Silesia of edged timber, finished wood, fuel wood and 
mining timbers: 

Lumber Imports to Upper Silesia * 



Year 


Total 




Out of This Quantity There Was Supplied by: 








Former Rus- 












sian Poland 












Outside of 




Former 








Congress Congress 




German Total from 








Poland Poland 


Galicia 


Poland Poland 




Tons 




Tons Tons 


Tons 


Tons Tons 


1911 


504,694 




107,206 39,213 


215,107 


6,986 368,512 


1912 


566,201 




151,433 32,350 


209,070 


16,464 409,317 


1913 


640,656 




149,311 36,599 


259,497 


32,457 477,644 


NOTE— In th 


s 


and in the following ta 


ble regarding 


agricultural products 


and cattle 


the imp 


ortation from the whole former German 


provinces of Posnania 


and West 


ern Prussia 


is included. Some very 


small quantities should be deducted | 


for parts 


of those 


P' 


-ovinces which were left 


to Germany 





It must be mentioned that the importation of wood to Upper Silesia from 
points outside Germany has been hindered by rather high import taxes so 
that most probably the importation of wood from Polish territories would 
be still greater, if there were no artificial hindrances. 

Regarding foodstufiis (agricultural products and cattle). Upper Silesia, 
to a large extent, has been depending on territories now forming the Polish 
State. 

The temporary decrease of agricultural production in Poland has beert 

H:Gerinan Government Report of nxercliandise Shipments on German Railways. 
Commercial Balance of the Former German Poland (A. Rose). 

18 



primarily caused by the stopping of the importation of artificial fertilizers. 
If Upper Silesia is united with Poland, the requirements of Poland for arti- 
ficial fertilizers will be covered by Upper Silesia, which has the largest 
factory of super-phosphates on the continent. Then the Polish agricultural 
production will regain its former level. 

The importation by railway to Upper Silesia from points outside her 
boundaries of agricultural products, cattle and horses, was as follows: 

Imports of Livestock and Food Products * 



Year 


Total 


Out 


of This Quanti 


ty There Was Suppliec 


1 by 








Russian Po- 














land Outside 




Former 








Congress 


Congress 




German 


Total from 






Poland 


Poland 


Galicia 


Poland 


Poland 


WHEAT 


Tons 


Tons 


Tons 


Tons 


Tons 


Tons 


1911 


7,035 


832 


1,352 


1,034 


992 


4,210 


1912 


9,468 


ISO 


615 


2,314 


1,243 


4,322 


RYE 














1911 


34,422 


786 


2,646 


6,486 


14,518 


24,436 


1912 


35,022 


2,269 


807 


6,463 


11,925 


21,464 


OATS 














1911 


5,766 


3,980 


99 


362 


241 


4,682 


1912 


4,689 


217 


14 


827 


1,980 


3,038 


BARLEY 














1911 


26,039 


5,284 


4,319 


9,923 


2,11 


19,848 


1912 


25,742 


7,455 


3,880 


11,031 


467 


22,833 


POTATOES 












1911 


81.235 


29,930 


31,348 


2,318 


6,695 


70,291 


1912 


91,368 


35,464 


32,963 


IZl 


9,594 


l^:]li 


FLOUR AND GRITS 












1911 


46,572 


12 


— 


41 


19,832 


19,915 


1912 


44,994 


40 


20 


2>1 


15,347 


15,489 


MILLETS AND LEGUMINOUS SEEDS (PULSES) 






1911 


16,046 


6.784 


762 


6,948 


121 


14,615 


1912 


12,554 


6,416 


1,102 


3,591 


161 


11,270 


HORSES (HEADS) 












1911 


4,190 


510 


— 


408 


538 


1,453 


1912 


4,677 


518 


973 


145 


1,043 


2,679 


SWINE AND SHEEP 










1911 


168,317 


88,043 


— 


— 


57,845 


145,888 


1912 


142,053 


73,555 


17,790 


— 


27,730 


120,075 


POULTRY (HEADS) 












1911 


743,527 


21,900 


41,150 


642,544 


11,316 


716,910 


1912 


314,760 


1,983 


122,685 


167,840 


4,912 


297,400 



Conclusion 

It follows clearly that Upper Silesia and other Polish territories form an 
inseparable economic unit. These territories were before the war separated 
by customs lines. They belonged to different economic organisms. Notwith- 
standing this, they have, as herein shown, ofifered one to the other necessities 
of such a nature that there has been large interchange of goods in spite of 
political hindrances. 

Poland, without the Upper Silesian coal and iron, will never be able to 
become independent in her economic life. Upper Silesia depends upon Po- 
land for a supply of raw materials and food articles. 

Germany is absolutely unable to give Upper Silesia what Poland can 
give her, viz. : markets for the Upper Silesian industrial products and raw 
materials for her industries. Upper Silesia and Poland will flourish only 
when they are united into one economic unit. 

♦ German Government Report of Merchandise Shipments on German Railways. 
Commercial Balance of the Former German Poland (A. Rose). 

19 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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^ Poland 




The Upper Silesian Plebiscite District 

Upper Silesia, where a plebiscite will be held in the near future, is 
one of the richest coal and mineral regions in Europe. It embraces an 
area of approximately 5,000 square miles and has a population of about 
2,200,000. According to reliable statistics, approximately 62 per cent, 
of the population is Polish. 

The greatest wealth of the region is derived from the coal deposits. 
Important deposits of iron, zinc and lead have also been developed. The 
iron and steel industry, relying wholly on coal produced within the 
region, and on both imported and locally produced ores, has grown 
to large proportions. 

Though primarily a mining and factory district. Upper Silesia is 
not without agricultural resources, and produces a considerable portion 
of the food needed for home consumption. Ethnographically, Upper Si- 
lesia has for centuries been strongly Polish, but in the matter of politi- 
cal associations its history has been varied, belonging at various periods 
to Poland, to Austria, and to Prussia. 

Both Germany and Poland claim Upper Silesia. Germany bases her 
claim entirely on economic grounds, largely because of the German own- 
ership of mines and property. Poland bases her claim on economic and 
racial grounds. To Germany the region means only a source of greater 
wealth, whereas to Poland it is essential to economic independence. 
Germany, for instance, received only 8.9 per cent, of her pre-war coal 
from Upper Silesia, while over 40 per cent, of Poland's coal supply came 
from the now disputed district. 



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